It’s a new year and 2017 in a lot of ways felt like the hangover of 2016. I think universally, we all feel that 2018 should be a superb year. A new year calls for fresh starts and getting rid of what no longer serves. As hard as this can be, this also includes people.

I recently had an overwhelming response to getting back into blogging. The majority of the people that have reached out to me have been positive. But as it goes, with the good sometimes comes the bad. I have received the occasional unsolicited advice or comment here and there. In the past, I would just rolled my eyes and took the advice or combat it with some witty words. But why should I? Why have I been wasting valuable energy on battles that wouldn’t be worth it in the long run? It’s 2018 and the time is now to stop the bullshit!

I am done with people that undermine or question my reality only to make me doubt myself. With those “friends” that often show their insecurities by telling you what you need to change or should be doing. These same people tend to find faults in your life and remember details of what you have going on to use against you in the future. All of this while saying “I am saying this as a friend” or “Not to be a bitch but…”.

I am over empty suggestions that I never asked for. Don’t get me wrong, some people make suggestions that are brilliant. I am always extremely grateful for some random good advice. But there is always that person,that has something to say about your ever move. That person that feels that everything that comes out of their mouth has a warning label. If you feel like everything you say comes with a disclaimer, more than likely you’re an asshole. It’s cool boo, just own it and realize that not all people can handle your “sass”. To these people, we can politely say “go fuck yourself!”

Someday we will grow old and reflect on our lives and we aren’t going to think fondly about those that doubted us. We aren’t going to think back to “Man, it was really great when that person told me how fat they thought I was.” or “WOW! I should have listened to that person’s suggestions on how I should be presenting myself”. Give no fucks right now and mean it.

It’s been well over a year but I have returned! So I obviously need blogging 101 because I broke the first rule and just completely stopped. I’m sure some of you are like “Where the hell have you been and why did you stop blogging?!” I am going to keep it completely 100% with you guys and not give you some Dog Ate My Blog excuses. Life got tough and I basically hid from the world. I will do my best to spare you of the gruesome details but what had happened was…

For starts, over the last 3-4 years, I had a mystery health condition that was officially diagnosed last year as an autoimmune disease known as Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis. The symptoms to this disease started years ago but peaked hardcore in 2016. This disease for the most part left me without any confidence or motivation. It has definitely kept life interesting and I see it more as an awakening. While most autoimmune issues are still a mystery and “not curable” I find this to be complete bullshit. Most health problems are a product of the lives we lead and is just a matter of us listening to our bodies. My body was basically like “Hey, you’re fucking up!” and i’m pretty grateful. While I still have a long road ahead of me, I am doing a TON better and on the mend.

During all of this medical mayhem, I took on a full time remote job in which I am still currently working. While I love what I do, I got WAY to comfortable and decided to put my dreams and personal goals on the back burner. It will always be easier to say “someday I will take over the world.”, but at some point you have to realize your intentions lack that action required for world domination. Over the last year, i’ve been brainstorming and coming up with a number of new and fun ideas, but with no action. If I am not going to treat my dreams with the respect they deserve, no one else will. Trust me when I say that this blog post you’re reading has come with a lot of blood, sweat and glittery tears. This is the first of many steps back into giving myself a chance.

Outside of the full time day job, health malfunctions, and self loathing I also found myself using this space to share content I just didn’t find fully exciting. Between managing social media for other projects and working on things that had little to do with what I was passionate in. I completely lost my vision. I got to a point where I thought no one would care about what I was putting out, there because I didn’t. I started to compare myself to others and think I would never be good enough nor would I ever “make it”. Well it took a year for me to wake the fuck up, and a lot has changed. I think getting space cooties helped me develop a layer of confidence I never thought to be possible. I’ve been on some next level Yoda-like positivity.

The majority of my healing will consist of me reconnecting with what I love. The moment you decide to focus on yourself and what you enjoy is the moment that you honor yourself. I forgot in the mix of doctor appointments and sleepless nights that I am so valuable. I never was one to care about what others think but as soon as you let down that protective self-love bubble the negative pours in. I am better than that. It feels so so good to be back in this space.

Why did I come back now? I simply needed to come out of hiding. I needed to be honest with where I have been. I needed to share my story without sugarcoating it—to express my discomfort and lack of confidence.

This is my post. My awakening.

I am writing this to get out of the habit of making things a bigger deal than they actually are. I am writing this to get the hell out of my own way. I accept my beautiful crazy and sometimes messy life. No one asked me to be perfect nor does anyone expect it and if they do, they can go fuck themselves.

This post is for me. This post is for you. I am here to invite you back into this beautiful community and into my life journey. Sometimes our best lives include rambling blog posts full of cliches and releasing them into the world because clicking “published” is better than perfect.

While typing this post I tried to say “folding hand fan” three times in a row and realized it’s impossible. Can you do it or am I just broken?

Aside from a fun tongue twister, folding hand fans make an elegant, chic, bold statement as a summertime accessory. I recommend that party girls everywhere listen up and take note – we’re about to kick it old school!

Folding fans have been used throughout history. Did you know that these cool devices have been around since at least 4th century BC? They were used in ancient Greece, but people then called them “rhipis”. Ceremonial hand fans were used to keep bugs off of bread and wine in church during the 6th century. In Spain, flamenco dancers used them to accentuate their artistic dancing while looking insanely fabulous. Most cultures and most art forms have taken the simplicity of a hand fan and turned it into something beautiful yet useful.

Throughout the years, hand fans have been used for fashion and practicality. Modern folding fans take the original idea and give them a bright new twist. Bright colors, sexy patterns, and a bunch of options make folding hand fans an obvious choice for a summertime accessory. I became obsessed with folding fans after a burlesque routine I performed for a local magazine party with some of my burlesque babes at Work It Dance and Fitness.

Because I believe in the power of the hand fan (also because I am sick of people side eyeing me for using one on the subway) here are my top 3 reasons why using a hand fan is kick-ass:

❤ Be ever so thrifty. Stocking up on cute fans won’t break the bank. There are tons of places where you can buy a lot of them in assorted colors. Also Etsy has a ton of beautiful hand made options. Go crazy, go nuts! .

❤ Handy dandy. If you’re on the subway and the power goes out you might feel pretty lucky that you’ve packed your most useful accessory. Stay cool AND pretty while everyone else swelters. You could even become a superhero and help others stay cool. Be the change you wish to see in the summer!

❤ Never out of style. I personally think that people stare when I use a hand fan because even though they’ve been around for ages, they aren’t the norm in North America. For the most part I’ve had strangers tell me how smart I was to have brought one or how beautiful my fans are. Pick a color or pattern to compliment your ensemble or just go with a fan that you’re “feeling” that day. I tend to just grab whatever tickles my fancy.

This post is simply a shout out to an accessory that has held it’s own for centuries. It is definitely something that should should be celebrated and I am happy to have introduced them into my norm. Stay cool, stay pretty and always….

Over a month ago, I told you all about a little journey that I call #YogaAndYoncé. This journey has changed my life in such a short time, it truly is amazing. I am proud to call this transformation mine, and I hope that you can use this inspiration and motivation to push through to being the best version of yourself that you can be. I’m going to share a little bit of this fitness movement’s background, and then I’m going to share my results with you.

Living a successful, happy, healthy life means that there will be some sacrifices. I mean, it looks like successful people have it made, right? The truth is, no, these people work their butts off to reach and continue that journey. When I started on this journey, I immediately thought about Béyonce. This amazing woman shows us all what a happy, successful, and balanced life looks like. She’s got a family, and she’s known around the world for her untouchable talent. She gives back to the world so much and seems like a genuinely happy person. She’s a role model to so many people, myself included. She’s Wonderwoman, or so I’m convinced.

I wanted to start a wellness program that would inspire women to nourish themselves without sacrificing the glamour. Is it always glamorous? Absolutely not. Seeking a natural, holistic way to be fit, I chose yoga. This is an exercise that brings you closer to yourself by encouraging moments of clarity. You can see that yoga is not just about the physical exercise; but something that would truly feeds the whole self – physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Outside of yoga, I also have hired a personal trainer, slowly but surely becoming a regular at the gym and soon will start up with dance classes again. Strength, cardio, and clarity…OH MY!

The whole point of #YogaAndYoncé is to exemplify that you CAN have it all; be the boss, run the show, be healthy, be happy, and have a rockin’ life. Life doesn’t always go according to plan, so having a strong foundation of confidence and self-awareness can pull us through anything. We’re tough. We’re bosses – of our lives and of our careers.

Now for my results….

With the #YogaAndYoncé movement, I lost 27 pounds in the very first month and a half. I feel so much stronger – mentally and physically. #YogaandYoncé has brought me into closer view of my overall wellness. The struggle has been VERY real but I am still proud of how far i’ve come. I know that to take care of those around me, I must take care of myself.

If you are looking for a way to naturally nourish your overall being without sacrificing glamour, start your own movement! Or hell, join the #YogaAndYoncé movement today. Now. Right now!! As always…

Living a life of pure celebration is forever fun but very tiresome. Between crafting, blog plotting, projects and life it is super hard for me to calm my brain down at night when it’s time for me to get my beauty sleep.

Lately, I have been researching how to live a overall healthier life. Something that the majority of people lack is proper sleep. Being that it is a “easy” fix, I figured I would start there! I mean getting comfy and passing out is pretty easy, right?! Well, I was greatly mistaken. Every night for the last month, I tell myself “I will go to bed no later than 11PM” and then 1AM rolls around and I wonder what the hell am I still doing awake?

In honor of Sleep Awareness Week (yes, it’s real), I have been researching ways to improve my sleep and relax my brain. Sleep Awareness Week is an annual public education and awareness campaign to promote the importance of sleep. To that I say CHEERS to raising awareness for one of the most relaxing activities ever!

In my many Google searches and conversations, I have noticed that the majority of people that get very little sleep think that “sleep is a waste of time”. But obvi, that is a bunch of rubbish. The more sleep you get, the more years you add to your life. The occasional restless night is one thing, but chronic sleep loss raises a much deeper concern. Too many restless nights can lead to a weak immune system, poor heart health, memory loss, lame mood swings, and an out of whack metabolism. No one has got the time to rock a muffin top, have heart palpitations, and get enraged trying to remember where you parked your car! I am definitely NOT about that life.

It seems like on average, my body can only handle about 6 hours of sleep without me waking up. It is recommended that the average adult should sleep 7.5 to 9 hours a night. I am dreaming (not literally) of getting at least 7 hours a night. It’s my goal so I will gladly take the 6 hours I have been averaging. Sleep patterns and tendencies can be linked to so many things involving your wellness and development. Sleep patterns can even tell characteristics about your personality. I can be a perpetual tosser and turner but for the most part I am a “Yearner”. I typically have a hard time making quick decisions but I have an open personality and I am very sociable.

Let’s face it night owls, sleep is essential to our health and happiness. Some of the major steps I am taking to gain control of my health (and my zzz’s) is purchasing a humidifier, ending my green tea intake at 4PM, and having mini dance parties until I am exhausted. I am also thinking about getting a aromatherapy vaporizer, upping my white noise game, and daily meditation practices. I will make this commitment to myself in honor of Sleep Awareness Week. Let’s start this sleep revolution, y’all!

Speaking of sleep revolution, the folks over at Casper are partying in the name of sleep all month long! Check out their adorable “sleep type” graphic that depicts the most common sleep types.

What is your sleep type? I personally don’t think I am any of these types. Not even the “Party Animal”! I think I am a “Cotton Candy Machine”. No matter how many times people explain how they work, I will never understand their magic. You turn one on, they create sugar magic, and keep the party going. My brain is a lot like a cotton candy machine. I lay down to rest, my brain cuts on, I lay thinking for an hour or so, come up with rad ideas and then I am up until all hours of the night. The sleep struggle is real but I am ready to take it on!

How are you going to celebrate Sleep Awareness Week? Is the sleep struggle also real for you? What are some of your methods to getting to bed when you would rather be up partying? Tell me all of your secrets!

Happy dreams and per usual…

Stay sexy Gotham!

P.S. Did you know that if you don’t sleep for 10 days straight you can actually DIE?! That or you turn into Brad Pitt.